In some examples, a gas turbine engine including a high-pressure (HP) spool assembly including a HP shaft, a HP compressor and HP turbine; a lower pressure (LP) spool assembly including a LP shaft and LP turbine; a motor-generator coupled to the LP shaft; and a controller. The controller is configured to control the motor-generator to operate in a motor mode to apply torque the LP shaft during a starting of the HP spool assembly, and control the motor-generator to operate in a generator mode for a least a period of time following the starting of the HP spool assembly.